What happens in Vegas.....hopefully happens EVERYWHERE!!

Well, at least as it pertains to Team Beachbody! ;)

Milan Jensen; my dear friend and coaching partner :)


I traveled to Las Vegas a couple weekends ago to hang out with the Vegas Team Beachbody Coaches; a team of people who are growing a team of excited, enthusiastic coaches who are raising their hands to say "Yes! I'll be a part of
the solution to end obesity!" It was inspiring on so many levels, but my favorite part, as always, is connecting to people who are in this with me!


Doug Couch and I: this guy is so much fun and the coach of Kim Barnett!


Tony Horton got the crowd pumped as only he can do. :)


Our team is spread out all over this country, but there's nothing like it when we huddle up! :)

Kim Barnett: SWEET woman who just happened to have won $250,000 dollars with the Million Dollar Body Game!! :)

Here are a few photos from the event, where Pete Pena was awarded the company's first 10 Star Diamond Coach; which means he has achieved the rank of Diamond Coach, and 10 of his Personally Sponsored Coaches have achieved Diamond status as well. :) Pete is a great, and humble guy, and I couldn't be happier for him and his wife Sue!!

This company is changing lives and I would love to answer any questions you may have as you contemplate if its for you or not.

It all starts with YOUR STORY. :) BE a success story yourself and that starts today with food choices and workout choices. :) All you have is today....what will you do with it?

The Vegas team is just a group of individuals who excitedly joined this health and fitness revolution and lives are being CHANGED!! :) I'd love to see that happening country and then world wide!

JOIN WITH US!! :) Come get healthy and fit - and help others do the same!

Love!
TRACI :)
ABSoluteFitness@roadrunner.com

More Pics from the Beachbody Gala :)

Kimberly Barnett -
one of the

$250,000 winners! :) She's a TeamGENESIS Coach! :) WOOHOOO! I spoke with her on the phone just after she'd been to the bank - she said it was the WEIRDEST feeling to cash a check for $250,000!!! All those zeros!! :)





Gwyn aka Gmearth from the boards.
:) Love her!




Jason doing his thing for a fun "surprise" to the guests. I'll bet it was WAY cool for the band to get to play back up to the lead singer of Chicago. :) He was of course....a HAM. :) (what's funny is that he held this ridiculous pose for SO long while my lame camera booted up :) good sport that he is!)


Judy Z. and me. :) Judy is such a blessing to me!










Tony, Mason, and me. :) The QVC crew. ;o)











The winners up on stage at the Gala. :)


Lastly....



does this pose look comfortable to you?

Its not.

:)

Some of My Favorite "things" are PEOPLE! :)

Man, we have a fun group of people doing this Beachbody coaching thing! :)





Here is a shot of me and my sweet Brina - $50,000 winner for her results with Turbo Jam and P90X. :) Isnt she lovely? (makes me look like Skipper to her Barbie) :)




Here is a shot of Mark Briggs, Tony, Jason Scheff and me. The P90X+ crew, minus Mace.






















Jason :) We've exchanged emails and posts for so long -it was fun to meet face to face, though I felt like we'd known one another for years. :) Thats the way the message boards are. :)

Mark Briggs: My Friend "Nacho". :)

Tammie Fitz. :) She's a fav of mine. :)

Shaun T. He is, in the words of Tony Horton: a

"GOOD DUDE"

My cutie cousins.

:) LOVE THEM!!

Are you asking: "WHERE THE HECK DID MY COACH GO??"

I've been all over, crossing through three time zones in the last three days alone! :) Not my regular schedule, but sometimes life just happens all at once! :)

The FIRST EVER Beachbody Coaching Summit was on March 7th, but our team huddled up a day early and met at the hotel on the 6th for a GREAT Summit of our own! :)

Milan, our fearless leader, came down with a kidney stone and was calling me from the ER (NOT KIDDING) to update me on what the day will look like should she not be able to attend. GULP. I was all serene on the phone, so she wouldnt worry, but in my heart I'm thinking two things "WHAT??? How can we do this without you??" but also "NOOOO...you CANT get sick!" This trip to Hawaii (Top Coach trip) was the first thing she said she's ever won. :( For her to miss it would be heartbreaking!!

She did in fact miss nearly the whole TeamGENESIS Summit, :( (boo hoo) but thankfully Doug and Tammie Fitzgerald and Doug Couch stepped in and helped it all come together. :) At the end, she MIRACULOUSLY passed her stone (I know - it just SOUNDS painful, poor woman) and was able to make it down for the final moments, (YAY!)where her sister Mandy was able to present her with a book of thank you letters from our team for all she does for us. :D And she DID end up getting to go to Hawaii, thank you, Lord! It just would have been WRONG if she didnt get to go!

So that was the 6th!

I roomed with Coach Kit Caldicott - Tony Horton's sister - and we had a GREAT time as roomies! :) She's just a fun woman to hang out with. :)

That night, we all met for a fun night at the bowling alley where tons of TeamGEN coaches were treated to food, drinks, and a night of bowling to build some team spirit! :) I'd say that goal was more than accomplished! :)

Here are some pics from the event! Hope you enjoy!

TRACI :)

Ethiopian Merkato: Authentic food, Authentic Friend! :)

Two years ago on February 10, 2006, I met and had lunch with my dear friend Scott Fifer who had just come back from a volunteer vacation in Tanzania. He had brought me back this adorable Tanzanian angel made of a banana peel, and had wonderful stories and photos to share with me. Well that day, that looked just like any other day, was a day that God plucked me off the path that my life was on, and plunked me down onto a path that would lead KC and I to our 5th and 6th children; adopted and home from Ethiopia just 10 mos after that lunch with Scott! :) When God touches your heart with the things that touch his heart - your life will NEVER be the same. Over and over throughout the bible, he talks about his love for the poor and orphaned and forgotten. If that doesnt describe Africa, I dont know what does.
Last night was our 2 year anniversary of that lunch, and we celebrated with a dinner in an authentic Ethiopian restaurant in Los Angeles where Scott met our boys for the first time, and our other kids as well. :) We had a great time eating the food, chattering and laughing, and enjoying one anothers company! (oh, and trying on cool Ethiopian hats!) Its incredible to me how our hearts are entwined with each others as we share the love and concern for people on the other side of this much smaller than I had previously thought, world.

Scott is in the process of raising money to build a home, school, water system for an orphanage entitled "TunaHAKI" which means "We have a right". Link: http://tunahaki.org/how.html He already raised money to purchase the land, so now its a matter of getting the remaining funds donated, and the project built. Over 20-something kids live in this orphanage of kids with varying Christian denominations. Which got my wheels turning - wouldnt it be cool to get a group to head over there to give them a week of Vacation Bible School, complete with their own bibles and games, and skits, all teaching about the love of their creator?!?! :) Yes, meals with Scott seem to be the catalyst for Gods "dawnings" for me! Think twice before you accept a meal invitation from him! hee KIDDING, of course! :)

God just keeps flinging open doors for my heart to be drawn to the orphans of the African continent - I encourage you to listen if you are feeling that same tugging at YOUR heart! It doesnt mean life will be easier, but FAR RICHER!! :) What better way to live, than to have the creator of life directing your next steps?! Words cant describe the exhileration and joy! And to do it side by side with friends....all the better! :)

Easy, Healthy Kids Lunches

One of the questions I'm asked regularly by parents is "Any ideas for a healthy lunch?" :) Why, I'm glad you asked! Because its far easier than you may be thinking! Kids whose parents start eating healthier find less Ho-Ho's, Twinkies, Lunchables, and juice boxes in their lunches, and trust me, that is not a fun occurance for ANYONE involved! (can you tell I'm speaking from experience?!)

The one thing I've learned from both having BEEN a kid, but also by having my own, is that even though kids like to have something thats on the cutting edge of new and cool, they dont want it to be so far outside the normal realm that we're actually called...gulp....different. :) Cuz when you're THAT different, then you're called 'weird' by other kids, and that is the next thing to torture for someone who's just trying to blend in and carve out their niche in their crowd of peers. So, what does that mean? Do we as parents give in and make a decision that is contrary to what we believe to keep the peace in our home? Thankfully, I dont think the answer has to be THAT dramatic of a solution!

Giving our kids healthy options but made to look appetizing and dare I say it, "CUTE", is our goal! At our Tony Horton Fitness Camps, I've spoken about making their lunches with a bit more effort with the hopes of finding the happy medium of what they want, and what I'm willing to give. I'm a fan cute plates, stickers on the younger kids napkins with a little love note from me, cute little baggies with decorations, or a sticker from me, sandwiches cut into cute shapes with a cookie cutter, cute little containers for their fruit or whatever, so they dont miss the heavy corn syrup laden fruit cups they used to get before I knew better, cute spoons with characters on them, a decorated lunch bag with various colored markers and stickers, etc. You're getting the idea.

Do I EVER give my kid a Ho-Ho? The answer is yes. Every once in a blue moon, in teaching them moderation, otherwise they'll hit that age where they can buy their own food and have learned no sense of self discipline and balance with food. Being too extreme, and putting that onto our kids can actually bring a contrapositive result, and attaching a sense of power to food that has no business there! And 9 times out of 10 they complain that the Ho-Ho didnt set well in their stomachs because their bodies repel the unhealthy ingredients they dont normally get. What is the lesson learned there? One that I couldnt teach nearly as well with words! They get a stomach ache eating the thing I have said is not good for them, and they learn: EW. It hurts to eat that food. :)

Do I make cookies and baked goods? Yes, rather than store bought - thought I occasionally buy those too - because I can substitute the butter in the cookies for coconut oil, and add in some whole grain flour instead of pure white flour, where cane sugar is replaced with fructose (I have a child who cannot have any cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup so that drives me to find newer, healthier versions of foods), and where I can put in one less egg yolk and one more egg white into the recipe! :) Little adjustments to make it better for them.

So get creative parents! A "sandwich"doesnt have to be on bread - some meat and a low fat mozzerella cheese stick with some organic pretzels is a homemade, healthier version of a "lunchable", without all the processed meat and cheese! Or make an OPEN FACE sandwich with only one piece of bread, meat, and make a face with the tomato for a mouth and a couple raisins (or nuts, or craisins) for the eyes! Or roll up that meat and some mustard and lettuce and pine nuts into a whole grain wrap, cut it in half and hold it together with a colorful toothpick! :) Lets use these quick and easy tools; recipes, baggies, markers, containers, stickers, packed with a lot of love to help our kids "blend in" but in a healthy way! :)

I've posted a couple different versions of my kids' lunches over the past couple days. One a sack lunch, one an at home lunch for my toddlers. HAVE FUN with it - and get CREATIVE! :)

They're listening and watching!!

Our KIDS are listening and watching, that is. My 13 year old 7th grade daughter had to write a persuasive essay on her topic of choice for her english class. She chose the topic: Should Middle Schools Ban Junk Food?

I'm sharing this with you so you'll be encouraged that our kids ARE learning from us and our habits. They HEAR what we say, but more importantly, they are LEARNING from our actions. You've heard that actions speak louder than words? :) Read on......this is what she's learned from observing us talk about health and nutrition and though she puts up a stink that she has to "eat healthy" (said as if its a bad word :)) she's getting it. :)

So without further ado, here it is:

Persuasive Essay
by Holli Morrow

Did you know that U.S. teenagers are being smothered with unhealthy food choices at school? There is a proposal to ban junk food from middle schools. That means no pizza, soda, or chips owuld ever enter or exit the cafeteria door. In my opinion, this would be much better for teenagers because the population is becoming heavily populated with obese people. Danger to health, bad effect on moods, and growing avoidance of fruits and veggies are all reasons why junk food should be banned from middle schools.

One reason why I believe junk food should be banned from middle schools ils because it has a danger to health. For example, posters around the cafeteria say things like, "Take care of your body, eat healthy!" but then they serve greasy pizza, fries, and chocolate milk. Right there the kids are downing almost six hundred and fifty calories! This is very dangerous to their hearts and they don't even know it! In the fruit bars they so "generously" provide, the fruit is warm and melted and usually has flies buzzing around. Some might argue that junk food is not a danger to health. However, foods like pizza and fries are saturated in fat and covered in salt, it has no real nutritional value, and is terrible for your heart and overall health.

A second reason why I believe junk food should be banned from middle schools is because it has a bad effect on a teenager's moods. If you have had a bag of chips, there are no vitamins or nutritional value in that little bag, but is is full of fat and empty calories. Even if the bag says, "10% less fat", what about the fat that's still in there? Without real foods in their stomachs with protein or vitamins, kids get short tempered and ornery. Kids come home and fight with their parents or siblings, just because they are tired, sluggish and grumpy from eating unhealthy foods. You may say junk food has no effect on teenager's moods. However, studies have shown that teenagers who regularly ate fruits and vegetables were much less ornery and thought more clearly than those that ate a lot of junk food.

The third reason why I believe junk food should be banned from middle schools is because teenagers are rapidly adding to the climbing number of obese people in our country. At the word "healthy", kids are turning away and running for the pizza. Just because its good for your health, doesn't mean its gross. Fruits like grapes, cantaloupe, and watermelon are all delicious and good alternatives to sugary junk food. Vegetables like celery, lettuce, and carrots are sweet, juicy, crunchy alternatives to junk food, and have lots of good vitamins and nutrients for growing bodies. You may say teenagers are not growing in their dislike for fruits and vegetables. However, fruits and vegetables are picked at, and recent polls have shown that teens would rather have junk food than healthy food.

Three reasons I believe junk food should be banned from middle schools are bad effects on moods, danger to health, and a growing avoidance of fruits and vegetables. There is a proposed ban on junk food from middle schools. This means no pizza, soda, or chips would ever enter or exit the cafeteria doors. In my opinion, this would be much better for teenagers because the population is becoming heavily populated with obese people. Banning junk food from middle schools is the right choice.

*****

Don't lose heart, moms and dads! :) Keep giving them healthy alternatives and have conversations about it! Model regular exercise and offer healthy food choices because THEY ARE SOAKING IT UP, despite the rolling eyes and drama about "its so unfair that we NEVER have good food!!"

You're becoming a hero to your own kid!

Have a blessed week setting the bar high for your family! :)

Clean out the cupboards and fridge!

Most people are looking to get their eating in check, begin an exercise program, and lose some weight year round, but for some reason, the start of a new year is when people collectively set their intentions for a healthy new start! This is a good plan, however, every day is a new start for healthier choices! So whether its January 1st or a random Thursday, TODAY is a NEW DAY to make new, HEALTHY choices for taking care of your body!

A great STARTING POINT for anyone looking to change old, bad patterns is to clean out your fridge, freezer, and cupboards. An old friend once said these wise words:

Say no to yourself ONCE: at the market!


Wise advice, and I quote it often! You can say no to yourself several times throughout the day, but around 7:30pm when you're grazing and bored; all it takes is saying yes once to a bad food choice to undo all of your good choices throughout the day! Then you figure "Well, I already blew it, so I'm just going to finish off this "fill in the blank" (cake, pie, tub of ice cream...) and start over tomorrow." You lay in bed feeling like you failed with your stomach beyond full at the worst possible time of day to be full. Its a vicious cycle, and if you're reading this and thinking "Oh man, is that me!!" Dont ya wonder how I know? Because it is an age old story that plays out in many, many households, only in each house the main characters are played by different people!

Well, you can change that in YOUR house by setting yourself up to succeed, not fail! Pack the house with raw veggies and fruits, whole grains (beans, lentils, brown and wild rice, oatmeal, whole grain pasta), lean proteins, and healthy fats, water bottles, green tea, and lots of other healthy choices that are in line with your desire to lose some stored fuel (body fat) and get healthy and fit!

And you can do it any day of the week, month, year!

WHY NOT START TODAY?

New Year, New Blog!

Lots happening with Beachbody/Million Dollar Body and coaching, so I figured a coaching/family blog would be a good idea. :) A large part of my fitness journey has everything to do with being a healthy and fit woman so I have energy to do all the things a mom does and still have energy left over!

Getting FIT and being HEALTHY has never been so fun - lets have a blast...TOGETHER!

Welcome 2008!!

TOGETHER...we're BETTER!

~TRACI+7 :)